Do you enjoy strength training, cardio, HIIT, or yoga? Although all types of exercise are beneficial, each offers specific advantages for your body's fat, muscle mass, and bone density.
Body composition acts as a guide to your general health, providing a breakdown of the basic components of your body including fat, muscles, bones, connective tissue, and water. In the context of health and fitness, body composition is commonly used to reveal the balance between essential and non-essential fat mass, as well as fat-free or lean mass which includes muscles, bones, tissues, and organs - essentially everything in your body that is not fat.
Body composition provides a more precise assessment of your overall health compared to conventional metrics. Monitoring changes in your fat mass, lean mass, and body fat percentage over time through body composition analysis offers insights that traditional measures like body mass index (BMI) cannot capture.
The composition of your body is affected by various factors, some of which are beyond your influence, such as genetics, age, ethnicity, and hormones. Nevertheless, you have the ability to improve your body composition through two effective methods: proper nutrition and regular exercise.
In addition to changes in diet, physical activity and exercise play a vital role in transforming your body composition. Various forms of exercise can assist in building muscle, decreasing body fat, or achieving a combination of both goals. Let's explore the backgrounds of four well-known exercise categories and assess their effects on your body composition.
Strength training
Strength training has been a longstanding practice among humans. The ancient Egyptians engaged in resistance exercises, as evidenced by depictions of people lifting, swinging, and throwing bags of sand and stone in their tombs. While these exercises were also performed by ancient Chinese and Indian civilizations, the ancient Greeks are commonly recognized for establishing weightlifting competitions that preceded the modern Olympics. Throughout history, strength training has developed to incorporate various tools such as dumbbells (1700s), kettlebells (1800s), and resistance machines (1970s).
What is strength training?
Also referred to as resistance or weight training, strength training involves engaging a particular muscle or group of muscles to contract against external resistance or force, aiming to enhance muscular strength. This resistance can take various forms, such as free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or your own body weight.
Strength training benefits
In the past, our main focus was on strength training for enhancing muscle size and strength. Nevertheless, an increasing amount of evidence indicates that strength training offers further advantages such as promoting fat loss, boosting bone growth, and improving overall health.
The benefits of strength training on body composition include:
Builds lean muscle mass. Strength training increases the size of major muscle groups, thereby building lean muscle mass. Building lean muscle mass improves athletic performance as well as your ability to perform daily activities. Research has found that ten weeks of strength training can increase lean muscle mass by around three pounds.
Strength training leads to small tears in muscle fibers, which the body then repairs by creating new muscle mass while resting. As this recovery process takes place, muscles adapt and become larger and more stronger with each cycle.
Counteracts age-related muscle loss. Around the age of 30, it is common to experience a decrease of approximately three to five percent in lean muscle mass per decade. This reduction in lean muscle mass can lead to a decline in strength and mobility, raising the likelihood of falls and injuries. Engaging in strength training can effectively combat the loss of muscle associated with aging by maintaining or developing lean muscle mass.
Strengthens bones. Similar to muscle loss, age-related changes and lack of physical activity can lead to a decrease in bone density by about one percent per year after the age of 40. Fragile bones are more prone to fractures and fractures. Luckily, resistance training can help prevent bone loss, and there is evidence from some studies that it can promote the development of stronger, denser bones. Resistance training stimulates bone-building cells by putting pressure on the bones. It is especially beneficial for enhancing the strength of hip, spine, and wrist bones, which are the most susceptible to fractures.
Keeps burning fat after your workout. Aerobic exercises such as running and cycling have long been praised as highly effective methods for burning calories and losing weight. However, strength training is also a potent way to reduce fat mass and enhance your body composition. By increasing your muscle mass, you elevate your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the rate at which your body burns calories during daily activities. Studies suggest that engaging in resistance training for a period of ten weeks could potentially raise your RMR by around 7 percent. Furthermore, strength training sessions elevate your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which means your body continues to burn calories even after you finish working out. Unlike cardio, strength training keeps your metabolism elevated for an extended period post-workout, helping to prevent the accumulation of excess energy in fat cells and the subsequent increase in fat mass.
Although strength training offers numerous advantages for improving your body composition, it is important to be aware of some potential downsides. Exercising with incorrect form, rushing through repetitions, or lifting excessive weight can lead to injuries. Furthermore, inadequate rest periods between strength training sessions can deplete your glycogen stores, resulting in muscle fatigue and preventing your muscle fibers from properly recovering and growing stronger.
Aerobic exercise/cardio
Although humans have been engaging in cardiovascular activities for centuries, it wasn't until the late 20th century that the concept of aerobics gained widespread popularity. This shift can be attributed to the groundbreaking work of Kenneth H. Cooper, who introduced the importance of regular cardio exercises for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Cooper's influential publications, "Aerobics" in 1968 and "Aerobics Way" in 1977, served as catalysts for the development of various aerobics workouts that have since become iconic in the realm of physical fitness.
The 1970s saw the rise of jazzercise as a popular aerobics workout, blending dance movements with cardiovascular exercises. This era also marked the emergence of video fitness classes, spearheaded by fitness icons like Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons. Their energetic and engaging workout videos brought the concept of aerobics into the homes of millions, making it more accessible and appealing to a wider audience.
As the fitness industry continued to evolve, the 1990s witnessed a surge in group exercise classes that catered to diverse interests and preferences. From high-energy hip hop classes to intense boxing workouts, aerobics became synonymous with fun, dynamic, and effective ways to stay active and healthy. The legacy of Kenneth H. Cooper's research lives on through these innovative aerobics programs, inspiring countless individuals to prioritize cardiovascular fitness as a cornerstone of their well-being.
What is aerobic exercise?
Commonly known as steady-state cardio and endurance training, aerobic exercises offer cardiovascular conditioning. The term "aerobic" refers to activities that require increased breathing and heart rate. In contrast to anaerobic exercises characterized by short bursts of energy, aerobic exercises are carried out over an extended period. Some examples include spinning, cycling, swimming, as well as weight-bearing exercises such as jogging, dancing, and jumping rope.
What are the benefits of aerobic exercise?
Cardiovascular exercise is linked to a variety of advantages, such as reduced blood pressure, lower chances of heart disease, and enhanced lung function.
While strength training is beneficial for building lean muscle mass, aerobic exercise is renowned for its ability to burn fat. Research comparing these two types of training has shown that resistance training could be the most effective in promoting lean muscle gain, while aerobic exercise may be more effective in reducing fat mass.
When compared to strength training, cardio exercise can be more efficient in burning calories and aiding in weight loss. Weight loss is achieved by burning more calories than you consume.
Due to its effectiveness in burning fat, aerobic exercise is recommended for individuals with a higher body fat percentage. Nevertheless, aerobic exercise by itself is not enough for muscle development. Since building muscle necessitates a surplus of calories, the calorie deficit resulting from aerobic exercise could impede muscle growth and potentially lead to muscle loss.
For a significant improvement in your body composition, it is strongly recommended to integrate both resistance training and aerobic exercise into your workout routine. By combining these exercises, you can enhance the development of lean muscle mass and decrease body fat effectively.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
A fairly recent fitness concept, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) originated with 20th-century runners who combined sprints with slower jogging intervals to prepare for the Olympics. While the concept waned during World War II, it resurfaced with the introduction of Tabata interval training by professor Izumi Tabata. Initially adopted by Japanese speed skaters, the Tabata protocol involves 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. HIIT gained significant popularity in the past decade and has consistently been listed as one of the top five fitness trends by the American College of Sports Medicine. The principles of HIIT have formed the basis for other popular fitness trends such as CrossFit and boot camp workouts.
What is HIIT?
High-intensity interval training involves alternating between intense exercise bursts and recovery periods. This adaptable method can be incorporated into both cardiovascular and strength training sessions. Whether sprinting or swimming rapidly, HIIT can be integrated into nearly any aerobic workout. Likewise, transforming a strength training routine into HIIT can be accomplished by reducing rest times, incorporating cardio intervals between sets, alternating between high-intensity and recovery phases, and emphasizing full-body movements such as pushups and squats.
The benefits of HIIT
The benefits of HIIT include:
Burns fat mass. Research suggests that HIIT may be the most powerful exercise type for reducing fat mass. Not only that, but HIIT has been shown to be particularly effective at reducing visceral fat. Visceral fat is found in the spaces between the organs and has been linked to conditions like cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and dementia.
Helps maintain muscle. HIIT may not be the most effective exercise for building lean muscle, but it’s unlikely to make you lose it. One study found that HIIT can help you retain muscle, while moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can potentially come with lean mass loss.
Keeps burning fat after your workout. Like strength-training, HIIT gives you the benefit of post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Research has found that this afterburn effect can last up to 21 hours, meaning you can continue to burn calories for nearly a whole day after your workout.
Before attempting HIIT, it is important to consider some drawbacks. The high intensity and rapid movements involved in these workouts may pose challenges in maintaining proper form, potentially leading to injuries and muscle strains. Experts recommend limiting HIIT sessions to two or three times a week due to their demanding nature. Additionally, since HIIT may not be sufficient for building lean muscle mass on its own, it is advisable to complement HIIT with strength training and aerobic exercises.
Yoga
Dating back over 5,000 years, yoga's origins can be linked to the ancient Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India. Initially crafted by Brahman priests, yoga spread to other faiths such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Over time, yoga has transformed from a predominantly spiritual pursuit into a holistic exercise regimen aimed at enhancing both physical and mental well-being.
What is yoga?
Yoga is a holistic practice that harmonizes the mind and body through a blend of physical postures, controlled breathing exercises, and meditation techniques. It has a rich history that spans centuries and has evolved to encompass a wide array of styles and approaches. From traditional forms like Hatha and Ashtanga to more contemporary variations such as power yoga and aerial yoga, the practice of yoga continues to adapt and grow.
What are the benefits of yoga?
Depending on the type of yoga you choose to practice, the impact on your body composition can be significant and varied. Yoga is a versatile form of exercise that not only focuses on enhancing flexibility and strength but also plays a crucial role in fat reduction and lean muscle building. The practice of yoga involves a series of postures, movements, and breathing techniques that target different muscle groups in the body, helping to tone and sculpt the physique.
Hatha yoga. This practice focuses on building strength in your core. Because many of the postures require you to use your own body weight as resistance, hatha yoga can help increase lean mass.
Power yoga. Experts claim that power yoga is among the most effective methods for reducing fat and building muscle. Typically more intense than other forms of yoga, power yoga tends to torch more calories.
Bikram or hot yoga. Because hot yoga is performed in 105-degree temperatures, studies suggest that you may be able to burn extra calories thanks to the heat. Other research on Bikram yoga found that supporting weight during the postures may increase bone density.
When it comes to burning calories, yoga may not be as effective as aerobic exercise. Instead of relying on yoga as your only form of exercise, try mixing it up with strength training, cardio, HIIT, or all three!
At the end of the day, any type of exercise comes with incredible benefits for body composition—as well as longevity, injury-prevention, heart health, and mental health. The right exercise for you depends on your current fitness levels and goals. If you are at the beginning of your fitness journey, choosing to take the stairs or going for a walk around your neighborhood is a great place to start!
If you want to track the progress of your fitness voyage over time, it’s a good idea to get a body composition scan when you first begin. This will give you an accurate picture of where you’re starting. As you exercise more and adjust your diet, continue to monitor your body composition by getting a scan every few months. By tracking changes in fat and lean mass, you can determine if your exercise plan is working for you and make changes accordingly.
All content of this blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this blog.
Kelly Sherman, MS, NC, CGP, CPT, is a licensed nutritionist specializing in empowering women to reclaim their health by cutting through misinformation and ditching the diet culture. She has a master’s degree in nutrition and is degreed in exercise science as well as a certified personal trainer. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she combines the best of both nutrition and exercise sciences to best help her clients reach their potential. To nourish is to flourish!
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